Oules du Diable, Cascade du Buchardet and Cabane de l'Aup

Very nice, accessible hike: no difficult passages, breathtaking views of the glaciers all the way, regular waterfalls, marmots, an incredible end to the hike with the Oules du Diable.
Hike done on August 23, 2014, a year with a lot of water, we were lucky: waterfalls and torrents "at full throttle" and a very flowery route!

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 13.91 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 40 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 603 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 600 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,647 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,085 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Start: Departure from the Chapelle en Valgaudémar car park after the campsite.

(S/E) Return to the hamlet and pass the town hall.

(1) At the fork, fork right, cross the Séveraissette (river) and go through the hamlet. Take the road up to Les Portes.

(2) Take the left-hand paths through the forest, intersecting the road leading up to the Hameau des Portes (follow the signs for "parcours aventure"). It climbs quite quickly for a beginner's hike (you can also drive up to the hamlet car park).
Continue on this path along the Navette river to reach the Fouronnière car park.

(3) Cross the river by the bridge and immediately turn right to follow the path to Cascade du Buchardet (on the left, towards Oules du Diable). Cross the Hameau de Navette.

(4) Arrive at a small grassy promontory, with the Cascade de Buchardet on your left (you can get closer).

(5) Continue along the path until you cross the river on a footbridge.

(6) On the other bank, you can turn right, back to the Fouronnière car park.
We chose to go left to continue towards the Cabane l'Aup: wide, relatively flat, open spaces (the river remains on our left) with a breathtaking view of the glaciers opposite, flowers everywhere. Keep your eyes peeled for marmots.

(7) Arriving at the Cabane de l'Aup: this is a shepherd's hut, with spring: private. We turned around and retraced our steps back to the fork in the road.

(6) Instead of crossing the river again on the right, continue straight on. We arrived directly at the Fouronnière car park.

(3) Go back over the same bridge (in the same direction as the outward journey) and turn left towards Les Oules du Diable.

(8) Pass by the Oules bridge without using it (keep the river on your left): an incredible circuit, completely fascinating and very impressive. Return to La Chapelle en Valgaudemar along a lovely shady path.

(1) Take the opposite route from the outward journey to reach the car park at Chapelle en Valgaudemar after the campsite (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,089 m - Parking at Chapelle en Valgaudemar after the campsite - Séveraissette (rivière)
  2. 1 : km 0.48 - alt. 1,091 m - Carrefour de la boucle
  3. 2 : km 0.68 - alt. 1,098 m - Paths on the left
  4. 3 : km 3.33 - alt. 1,299 m - Parking de la Fouronnière
  5. 4 : km 4.79 - alt. 1,376 m - View of the Buchardet waterfall
  6. 5 : km 5.21 - alt. 1,389 m - Gateway
  7. 6 : km 5.36 - alt. 1,407 m - Round trip crossing (shortcut option)
  8. 7 : km 7.25 - alt. 1,647 m - Cabane de l'Aup
  9. 8 : km 12.21 - alt. 1,246 m - Pont des Oules
  10. S/E : km 13.91 - alt. 1,087 m - Parking at Chapelle en Valgaudemar after the campsite

Notes

Start & Parking: Departure from the Chapelle en Valgaudémar car park after the campsite.

Refrehsments: Water at Cabane de l'Aup (quality: ?).

Note: You are hiking in the heart of the Ecrins National Park.
The Écrins massif is an exceptional area, open to all, with a rare natural, cultural and landscape heritage. To protect these treasures, the heart of the park is marked with painted Blue-White-Red flags, where regulations must be respected. Please take note of them when planning your hike to preserve this collective asset, on the website https://www.ecrins-parcnational.fr.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 39 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.6 / 5
Bipbip13500
Bipbip13500

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 24, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A magnificent hike. We set off from the car park by the chapel, and the climb through the woods is quite strenuous. Note that the return journey is also through the woods, down a gradual slope along a different path: I wasn't disappointed to have parked at the bottom.
A challenging hike with superb scenery and beautiful autumn colours. Don't hesitate to take the small path that climbs up to see the waterfall up close. Beautiful woods. We had a picnic at the Aup hut, which requires a climb to reach, but I personally find it very pretty. The shepherd was leaving with his dogs and we were able to enjoy the place. You will see another waterfall on the way. The detour to the gorges is no problem and offers a beautiful view.
Thank you very much for this hike

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Faver
Faver

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 18, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

I went on this hike to cool off during the heatwave! I spent more time in the water than on the trail!!!
I turned back before the pass, as there were sheepdogs waiting for hikers!
I did the whole trip early in the morning on the left bank and all the way back on the right bank, which was cooler with the accessible streams. There were footbridges everywhere, no problems.
The detour was easy following the rockfall, and the oulles were clearly visible from the various viewpoints.
I gave up on the return trip, as the path was too exposed to the hot sun!
A cool and relaxing walk!

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Lou cigalou
Lou cigalou

Not really worth visiting, it's better to have a picnic beforehand, otherwise the Oulles du Diable (Devil's Pits) are extraordinary! A must-see

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denisdelf
denisdelf
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 11, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The route is very well laid out and easy to follow.
We recommend visiting the waterfall in the middle; it's a bit more technical but nothing too difficult, and it's very short and beautiful.
However, in our opinion, there's no point in climbing up to the hut: the view isn't significantly better...

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Lou cigalou
Lou cigalou

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 07, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very good description, the last bridge has been repaired and we were able to reach the hut without any problems, but no picnics are allowed there because the shepherd has put up very clear signs strongly advising against it! We respected his wishes, of course, which is only right. The return trip via Les Oules du Diable is magnificent and shaded. A short section is always closed, but you rejoin the path a little further on after a well-marked detour. A very beautiful hike!

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User 13128006

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 02, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

On 1 June, the footbridge after the waterfall to the Aup hut had not yet been installed. In my opinion, it is not possible to cross the very stormy torrent.

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Cabru
Cabru

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 23, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We did this walk at the end of June, but following the heavy rains in the spring, the paths were slightly modified. However, this didn't pose any problem for following the walk, apart from the presence of the patous, who defend the flocks of sheep.

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Machecourt
Machecourt

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : May 09, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Be careful at the start of the season! In this fine month of May, this hike is anything but accessible: the scenery is magnificent, with the peaks glistening with snow; we followed the signposted route: the difficulties began after passing the Buchardet waterfall (make the detour, the view up close is impressive). Crossing the river was tricky, as there was no footbridge, but a long, thin plank, wet in the middle by the rushing torrent. The fall would be severe (photo)! The worst was further on: after an attempt to reach the cabane de l'Aup (wisely interrupted shortly before arrival because of an avalanche cone), the descent path on the left side of the torrent, and before the Fouronnière, was brutally cut off by the overflow of the torrent de la Charonie; descending into the torrent bed, swollen by the melting snow, and climbing up the other bank was a dangerous adventure. It should also be noted that the descent from the bridge on the right bank of the torrent is impossible because the path was swept away by the floods in autumn 2023, but at least there is a sign indicating this, and the path upwards takes you down to the Oulles bridge!

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VCANET
VCANET

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 28, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The summits were sparkling thanks to the previous night's snowfall.
We had to turn back at point 5: the torrent could not be crossed (we saw a piece of footbridge emerging from the torrent).
The recent rainfall has damaged several sections of the forest track (left bank) and the path (right bank), particularly between the Pont des Oules and Fouronnière. On the right bank, where sections of the path had been destroyed by the water, we made our best progress on the steep slopes above the torrent, clinging to tree branches (and grass!).

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B-ron
B-ron

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 11, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

One of my best hiking memories, the landscape is magnificent. I did it in November 2022, and the autumn colours, the light and the snow-covered peaks made it a truly grandiose experience!

At that time of year, the footbridges were removed, but there's still a safe and dry way to cross the torrents. Only 1 other hiker encountered during the day.
We hiked in the opposite direction at the start, up to point 3 (sentier des Oulles), to avoid the road and a forest track of little interest, and then back in the same direction.

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Deudeusch
Deudeusch

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 23, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Starting from the village of La Chapelle, we hiked in the wrong direction, returning along the same path that runs alongside the torrent in the forest to avoid having to return to the road. No major difficulties.
Passing through the ruins of the village of Navette. The waterfalls are incredible. You can also go to the foot of the waterfall, great!
We pushed on to the hut, hoping to come across a few marmots, but.... not. As a result, we didn't find it very interesting.

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Patricia13
Patricia13

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 28, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A hike that's in my top ten! Like the previous hiker, we climbed up the small path on the left bank, without meeting many people, but with the torrent below us, which was welcome on this hot day at the end of August. We didn't get too close to the hut, as the shepherd wasn't there, but a minimum of discretion is required... Back along the right bank, in the shade of the forest, perfect... But the path is busier. Crossing the abandoned hamlet of Navette was impressive. Of course, we walked alongside the Oulles du Diable, and chose the option of returning via La Chapelle rather than going straight down. It was a medium difficulty, as the path was very steep, narrow and a bit of an ankle-burner at times...

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hubert.58
hubert.58

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 31, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

We climbed all the way up the left bank of the torrent, in the cool of the morning, and came back down the right bank, in the shade of the forest. The Oules are remarkable.
No particular difficulty.

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cacatoes
cacatoes

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 07, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Very nice hike, but very poor reception on arrival at the Aup hut. The shepherd couldn't bear to see hikers passing in front of his house or looking at the landscape. It's very regrettable to be welcomed like this in such a setting. I've been hiking for a long time, but the shepherds in the cabins are usually more welcoming.

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blap
blap

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 07, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Superb...

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